“Arne Slot Press Conference: Southampton Victory, Salah’s Brilliance, and Staying Humble”
“Arne Slot Press Conference: Southampton Triumph, Salah’s ‘Magic,’ and Staying Grounded”
Arne Slot emphasized that Liverpool are staying grounded despite extending their lead at the top of the Premier League to eight points.
In a thrilling 3-2 victory over Southampton on Sunday, Mohamed Salah’s second-half brace sealed the win after a dramatic turn of events. Dominik Szoboszlai opened the scoring for Liverpool in the first half, but the Saints fought back with goals from Adam Armstrong and Mateus Fernandes on either side of the break.
The hard-fought victory on the south coast solidified Liverpool’s position at the summit ahead of a challenging week, with a Champions League clash against Real Madrid followed by a showdown with reigning champions Manchester City.
On whether he is ‘over the moon’ with the victory…
“‘Over the moon’ might be a bit of an exaggeration, but of course, we’re really happy—especially considering we were 2-1 down after an hour. That scoreline didn’t really reflect how the game unfolded, as I believe we dominated throughout. It’s easy to assume that facing the team at the bottom of the table means it should be straightforward, but Southampton have shown in many games that they can control play. So, when you find yourself trailing and then manage to win 3-2, it’s fair to say the emotions are high.”
On Salah’s performance…
“We always know we can count on him when things get tough. After going 2-1 down, I didn’t feel like it was necessarily the moment for us to score. But then, with a brilliant pass from Ryan Gravenberch, we did. The timing of Mo’s run and the way he finished was special, and it really got us back into the game. Scoring the equalizer at 2-2 was crucial—it gave us the momentum we needed. From that point, it felt like only a matter of time before we’d score again. For the first hour, we controlled possession but didn’t create many chances. In the last 25 minutes, though, we really took charge and started creating opportunities.”
On whether any of Southampton’s changes surprised him…
“No, not really. As a manager, I focus on understanding their style of play. Of course, there can be a difference depending on whether a striker is tall and physical or quick, but overall, I didn’t feel they changed their approach. They lined up in their usual 5-4-1 formation, and their style of play didn’t shift either. The first goal we scored came from them trying to build from the back, which wasn’t something they were able to do much today. In other matches, I’ve seen Southampton successfully play through a press, and I made sure to show the players that yesterday. But today, I felt our press was very effective, and we were aggressive without the ball.”
On how tough the Premier League is and how difficult a game it was ahead of facing Real Madrid…
“That’s the difference—the Premier League demands a lot from every player every weekend, and then when you add European competition into the mix, it’s not always easy. Only a few teams in England have consistently managed to balance both. Liverpool has shown it in the past over many seasons, but the last couple of years have been more challenging. That’s why English clubs tend to have larger squads, because top teams here have more financial resources. We’re fortunate to have a bigger squad compared to some clubs in other countries, and that’s crucial. You saw again today how important it is—those two or three players who came on made a real impact, and that’s exactly what we need in this league.”
Pos. P W D L GD PTS
1 Liverpool 12 10 1 1 16 31
2 Man City 12 7 2 3 5 23
3 Chelsea 12 6 4 2 9 22
4 Arsenal 12 6 4 2 9 22
5 Brighton 12 6 4 2 5 22
6 Tottenham 12 6 1 5 14 19
7 Nottm Forest 12 5 4 3 2 19
8 Aston Villa 12 5 4 3 0 19
9 Newcastle 11 5 3 3 2 18
10 Fulham 12 5 3 4 0 18
11 Brentford 12 5 2 5 0 17
12 Man Utd 12 4 4 4 0 16
13 Bournemouth 12 4 3 5 -1 15
14 West Ham 11 3 3 5 -6 12
15 Everton 12 2 5 5 -7 11
16 Leicester 12 2 4 6 -8 10
17 Wolves 12 2 3 7 -8 9
18 Ipswich 12 1 6 5 -10 9
19 Crystal Palace 12 1 5 6 -7 8
20 Southampton 12 1 1 10 -15 4
On not getting carried away with the eight-point lead…
“Yes, it’s a healthy lead, but we’re fully aware of the effort it took to get here and the hard work required to maintain it. There may have been one or two games where we won by a large margin, but most of our victories have been by narrow margins. We know how tough it is to win a match, and the players have been in the Premier League longer than I have. Just last season, Arsenal had an eight-point lead, and Manchester City came back to overtake them. With teams like Arsenal, City, Chelsea, and even Tottenham, who were excellent yesterday, all capable of winning many games in a row, we know the competition is fierce. It’s great to be in this position, but we’re definitely not getting carried away.”
On whether he spoke to Southampton manager Russell Martin…
“Not more than I do with any other manager—we shake hands before and after the game. What was a bit unlucky for them, I think, is that normally they play much better, create more chances, but struggle to finish. Today, they only created two real opportunities, and the first one wasn’t even a clear chance, yet they scored twice. They might have been more fortunate in the past and earned more points if they’d been more clinical, because in other games they’ve managed to play through teams’ presses so many times but lacked effectiveness. Today, though, they were more efficient—scoring from a set-piece and one chance that wasn’t even really a chance to begin with. If they can combine their style of play with the effectiveness they showed today, I’m sure they’ll start earning more points in the future.”
On the penalty decision awarded against Liverpool…
“Generally, sometimes you might feel a decision could go either way, but for me, situations like offsides or determining if a ball is inside or outside the box are clear-cut—they’re black and white. In this case, it was a foul, and if they determined it was inside the box, then yes, it’s a penalty. There are other instances, like a knock or a potential red card, where you can argue whether it’s yes or no. There was also an incident in the first half where you could debate whether it was a red card or not. But when it comes to offside or whether something is inside or outside the 18-yard box, there’s no room for argument.”